109-1 long shot wins Louisiana Derby

NEW ORLEANS — Gennadi Dorochenko purchased Hero of Order for $3,000. The horse is now worth a whole lot more to his Russian owner and trainer after making history on Sunday at the Fair Grounds.

Hero of Order, which went off at odds of 109-1, took the $1 million Grade 2 Louisiana Derby, holding off pre-race favorite Mark Valeski down the stretch to become the longest shot ever to win the race. He also was the longest shot in the 13-horse field.

Previously, no horse with odds of 99-1 or higher had finished better than third.

“This horse I bought… I break him, train him, everything,” Dorochenko said. “I buy not expensive horses but I make these horses rich, expensive horses. Show me one genius here in America who buys a horse for $3,000 who wins $1 million race.”

Hero of Order took the lead midway through the far turn, stayed near the rail and held off Mark Valeski by half-a-length, running the 1 1/8 miles in 1:50.13 on a fast track.